'The Terminator' Reboot Gives The Wheel To Writer Billy Ray

Just when we thought the “The Terminator” franchise was all but dead, James Cameron announced his unexpected return for a new trilogy.

The last two films, “Terminator: Salvation” and “Terminator: Genisys,” were soul-crushing. After those debacles, the only way many fans would hop back onboard would be if James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Linda Hamilton all decided to return. Fat chance, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened. Yes, Hamilton, Arnie, and Cameron as producer, are all coming back for T6, and “Deadpool” helmer Tim Miller – wise choice – will be directing. Even more, the next chapters will “move away from all these rules of the timeline.”

So with all that in mind, what’s missing? A screenwriter of course. A competent, professional wordsmith would be the next step to lay ground to Cameron’s creative plan, and it seems like, according to The Wrap, a scribe has been found in Billy Ray. Ray, if you remember, wrote and directed the highly underappreciated “Shattered Glass” where Hayden Christensen gave, by far, the best performance of his career. Ray’s other works include directing another excellent film, “Breach,” and writing solid genre fare (“Flightplan,” “The Hunger Games,” and “Captain Phillips.”)

Cameron wrote the first two films, but it was more his creative ideas than his tin-eared dialogue that made those films such classics. He isn’t the sharpest screenwriter, so it’s great to have a commendable screenwriter now at the helm of this highly anticipated Terminator movie. And don’t forget, there’s a whole writers’ room — including David Goyer (“Blade,” “The Dark Knight” trilogy), Charles Eglee (co-creator of “Dark Angel“), Josh Friedman (“The Sarah Connor Chronicles“) and Goyer collaborator, Justin Rhodes — working on future instalments and spinoffs, so Ray will have plenty of company.

“The Terminator” redo will land on July 26, 2019 with production expected to begin early next year.